THE SUMMERING OF HUNTERS. 125 



" splint " on the metacarpals ; " ring-bones " on the 

 pastern bones— especially the hind pasterns, and so 

 forth. All these are just one form of disease — exos- 

 tosis — and require much the same treatment. Ring- 

 bones should be fired. Spavins and splints should be 

 either fired, or [punched and blistered. There can 

 be no doubt that when the exostosis occupies a 

 limited area, punching and blistering, or setoning, 

 answers the purpose better than firing. In the case 

 of a splint, for example, which may cause dead 

 lameness whilst forming, but which passes off when 

 the exostosis is matured — in six weeks or so — the 

 splint may be no larger than a half-walnut. Then 

 to injure a large area of sound good skin for such a 

 small surface is much like spreading a horse-rug 

 over the back of a toy terrier. The punch in three 

 or four blows punctures all the splint surface, and 

 a blistered surface the size of a crown piece finishes 

 the work— this of course together with rest. In the 

 case of ring-bone the surface is two-thirds round the 

 pastern and is too extensive by far for the punch. 

 When spavins are forming and small, the punch 

 deals with them as effectually as the firing-iron. 

 Should any of the bones require such measures as 

 these, now is the time to perform the operation, and 

 b}?" the time the patients are fit to leave their sick- 

 boxes some warm weather will have come, and the 

 horse's skin will have become used to atmospheric 

 changes with being at the open doors of his box 

 throughout the days and nights of his confinement. 



